EDISON — The head coach of the girls swim team at Bishop Ahr High School was arrested and charged on Dec. 2 with sexual assault, criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child.
Sarah Blessing, 27, has also been a fifthgrade teacher at Park Middle School in Scotch Plains for four years but has been suspended with pay by the Scotch Plains- Fanwood School District. The Diocese of Metuchen has terminated Blessing, effective immediately.
Her bail was set at $150,000 and she is currently incarcerated at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center in North Brunswick.
Joanne Ward, a spokeswoman for the diocese, issued a statement on behalf of her organization.
“The diocese as well as Bishop Ahr High School is shocked and saddened to learn of these allegations.”
The statement also spoke about a project started at the beginning of the school year, “Called to Protect,” which is intended to teach high school students about how to respond if their personal boundaries are violated.
The statement also said that because of the ongoing investigation, the diocese would not be commenting any further.
Blessing was picked up at her South Plainfield home by authorities after they determined they had evidence that she had had a sexual relationship with the 17-year-old female student, starting around June 2009, according to a press release from the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. The investigation started the day before her arrest.
Calls to Blessing’s South Plainfield residence went unanswered. Bishop Ahr High School Athletic Director Michael Wolfthal said that Kathy Cassidy will be the new coach for the swim team.
Anyone with further information is asked to call Raj Chopra of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-745- 3600 or Detectives Michael Michalski or Tim Farrell at 732-248-7525.